When he woke up the next morning, Darian spent some time in bed thinking things over, instead of just rushing to breakfast so he could train like he usually did. After giving it some thought, he made his decision. Darian dressed and made his way to breakfast. Since it was later in the morning than normal, at least for him, he found himself alone in the dining room. His breakfast was there waiting for him, however. It was still hot.

After eating, Darian made his way to the training courtyard. To his surprise, Astra was the only one there. She was laying on one of the chairs in the sitting area that had been set up. Her eyes were closed. There was no one else in sight. Darian checked with his mind sense, and found his father at work in the alchemy lab. He assumed Ellen was with him, though he couldn’t feel the woman, since she kept her aura hidden as usual. Elliot was off doing what Elliot usually did. Not for the first time did it occur to Darian that he had no idea what his servants did most of the time.

Astra opened one of her eyes when he entered, and then opened the other when she noticed what he wore. When Darian had first come to this secret realm to train here on a more permanent basis, he continued to wear the usual Clan Wind Dance attire consisting of a simple tunic with a pair of trousers. Today, however, he wore one of the outfits that Master Nova had left behind: red vest, red pants, and black shoes.

“Where is everybody?” Darian asked. “I had gotten used to everyone congregating here while I trained.”

“I mentioned what we had discussed last night, and told them that I wanted to speak with you alone today. I wanted to know if you were leaving or if you were staying.” Astra eyed him up and down, noting his outfit. “I suppose that’s an answer in and of itself. May I ask why? I’m curious. In your shoes, I might’ve already stormed off.”

Darian shrugged.

“I decided that it didn’t matter whether or not Master Nova had blocked my spirit root.”

At that, Astra arched an eyebrow at him and waited for him to continue.

“Either she hadn’t, which would be ideal, or she had. If she hadn’t, then I continue as always and train to become a worthy disciple. If she had blocked my spirit root, then I will use the resources she had so generously given me to become stronger, and then punch her in the face for making the last four years of my life a living hell. No matter which it is, I’m still going to get stronger.”

Astra stared at him for several moments, before breaking out into laughter. At first it started as a low chuckle, but it wasn’t long before it exploded into loud guffaws. Darian, used to Astra’s antics at this point, waited it out. When it became clear that this would take a while, he started doing some stretches to warm up.

“That is the best answer I could have hoped for,” Astra said when she calmed down. “Senior Sister Nova really chose the disciple she deserved.” She gave Darian a mischievous grin. “For good and for ill. This may sound callous, but I hope she had been the one to block your spirit root, if only so I could see what you do when you actually meet her.”

“When will that be?” Darian asked, still going through the stretches. It felt good this morning, better than usual. Maybe it was because he had a more concrete goal than becoming stronger for the sake of becoming stronger. Granted, that goal was to punch an Immortal in the face, but still. He had to start somewhere. “If you told me already, then I apologize. It must have slipped my mind.”

“After you reach Element Collection stage and join our Dawn and Dusk Sect,” Astra stated. “Only applicants who have reached the Core Shaping stage are eligible to take the entrance exam. However, if you’re at the Element Collection stage and have a sponsor, you can skip that step. In this case, Senior Sister Nova will be your sponsor. Or I will, if she isn’t there when you arrive.” She examined her paw. “Until then, I’ll handle your training, though I’ll be more hands off after you reach the Energy Gathering stage. I can’t hold your hand the entire time, young Darian, no matter how much you plead and beg. It would be detrimental to your growth.”

Darian rolled his eyes.

“Yes,” he said, his voice thick with sarcasm. “How can I hope to survive in this cruel and uncaring world without the wisdom and guidance of my favorite Auntie? Clearly, I’ll be as helpless as a babe in the woods without you.”

Astra floated over and swatted him on the arm. It had no strength behind it, however, so it didn’t hurt.

“Brat,” she said, a smile in her voice. “You might be joking, but there’s a reason why most clans, sects, and schools don’t let their disciples leave until they have at least reached the Energy Gathering stage. Some wait until their disciples reach the Core Shaping stage. The world is a dangerous place. If you’re not strong enough, it will eat you alive. In some cases, literally.”

Was that how it worked? No one mentioned anything like that to him, though they wouldn’t. It hadn’t been relevant until now. Darian thought it over. It was true he had never heard of any of his kin leaving Silverwood Vale until they reached the Energy Gathering stage. Lucius had left for a mission once, and hadn’t returned for half a year. He received his holding bag shortly afterward.

“Fortune and misfortune come hand in hand,” Astra continued. “You cannot progress as a cultivator without taking risks and facing danger. This is doubly so for us, since we practice a combat cultivation technique. Our technique is built on strife and tribulation.” She sighed. “That’s why the last twenty or so years have been such agonizing torture. I haven’t had a good fight in ages. There are no opponents worthy of my strength here in Silverwood Vale.” She looked thoughtful. “Maybe that grandfather of yours, but even then, he would only be a temporary distraction. It truly is tragic.”

“Is that why you’re so bored and keep bullying me?” Darian asked, not expecting an honest answer.

“Yes.”

Darian paused in his stretching.

“So you admit that it’s bullying.”

“Of course,” Astra said, scoffing. “It wouldn’t be fun otherwise.” She pointed a paw at him. “You can’t say that you don’t enjoy it either. You’re the one who puts up with it.”

“That’s because you’re the one teaching me in place of Master Nova. I have to put up with it if I want to advance my cultivation within a reasonable time frame.” He gestured back to her. “Would you stop if I asked you to?”

“No.”

“There you go. Putting up with your bullying is the price I pay for power.”

Astra scoffed again.

“What about Ellen?” she asked. “You put up with her teasing when you don’t have to. If that’s not masochistic, I don’t know what is.”

At that, Darian paused. She had him there.

“It’s because every time I try to get her to stop, she gives me that look of hers,” he admitted. “You know the one. She gets all wide-eyed and teary. I’m defenseless against it.”

If Darian ever had a daughter, and she tried that move on him, he knew he would be putty in her hands. Embarrassing, but true.

Darian resumed his stretching.

“Excuses. You know she’s only doing that so you’ll assert your authority and put her in her place. Trust me, that girl wants you to force her into compliance. That flirting of hers isn’t a game.”

“Even if I believed your words, Auntie,” Darian replied. “Which I don’t, by the way, my authority over her and Elliot is borrowed. The only reason they serve me is because of Master Nova. They’re both two stages above me. If I truly want to become their master and make them bow their heads, I need to reach the Core Shaping stage at a minimum.”

Astra blinked at him.

“Well?” he said. “Am I wrong?”

“No,” she admitted. “I’m just surprised you figured that out on your own this quickly. That isn’t a slight against you, dense as you are sometimes. I’ve met a lot of Young Masters and Young Mistresses who threw their weight around, ordering servants and retainers much more powerful than them to perform all sorts of tasks.” Her expression turned ugly. “Some even dared to force their subordinates to perform even more unsavory acts. We do not tolerate that sort of thing in the Dawn and Dusk Sect. If necessary, we break them of this habit of theirs. Forcefully, if we have to.”

“Well, I’m not like most Young Masters and Young Mistresses,” Darian said. “I still remember what it’s like to be weak and helpless. I still remember what it’s like to be mortal in a world of Immortals and monsters.”

“That is to your credit.”

After finishing his stretches, Darian sat down to start his pre-training meditation. He had just started on his breathing exercises, when he heard Astra’s voice in his ear.

“I see you’ve given a lot of thought to making Ellen bow to you,” she said. “Is that what you’re into, young Darian? Women on their knees, their heads bowed in surrender? Or maybe you prefer them to look up at you, their eyes full of devotion and worship?”

Opening one eye, Darian swatted at Astra, as if she were a particularly large bug.

“Annoying little fur ball,” he muttered. “Stop interfering with my training.”

Laughter was Astra’s only response.

***

Life continued on as much as it had for Darian, despite the potentially life-altering revelation that Master Nova might have blocked his spirit root and interfered with his life. He focused on his training almost to the exclusion of everything else. Cultivation, meditation, and sparring took up most of his daily routine. This included Astra’s “Will Strengthening” training, as well as time spent studying in the library. He usually spent what little free time he allowed himself either with his father, or with Elliot and Ellen.

After talking with Elliot at the edge of the stone plateau, Darian’s relationship with his nominal servants deepened. It turned out that he had a lot in common with them. They both spent a lot of time focusing on their own training, when they weren’t performing their duties or helping him with his training. They also both enjoyed reading in the library. Outside of that, Darian learned that Elliot was a wine connoisseur, something he had picked up from Master Nova, while Ellen liked to experiment with cooking. They sometimes shared with him anecdotes of their time with Master Nova at the Dawn and Dusk Sect. Through them, he gained a clearer picture of his master.

Ellen used these little get togethers to further tease Darian. She kept pushing his boundaries, seeing just how far she could get away with before he snapped. It was at those times that Astra’s words sneaked their way into Darian’s thoughts, like insidious vines growing through the cracks. He ignored them as best he could.

Despite his frustration with Ellen, Darian enjoyed these moments. They reminded him of the time he spent with his friends. The thought made him melancholic, as well as angry with himself. He had resolved himself to tell them the truth, but ran away and hid the moment he discovered their relationship with each other. Though he tried to excuse and justify his actions, at the end of the day, Darian knew it was cowardice.

True, he was angry and hurt, but that just meant he needed to grow a thicker skin. If he kept running away every time his friends hurt him, or every time he let his resentment and envy get the better of him, eventually he would lose them. He needed to face his issues head on. He was a selfish friend, when his actions were viewed with any degree of objectivity. Changing himself wouldn’t be easy, but Lucius and Vera were worth the effort.

Until then, he needed to get stronger. For his own sake, as well as theirs. He wanted to be someone they could depend on, someone who could stand by their side even if the world turned against them.

A week and a half after his conversation with Astra, Darian felt that he was nearly done refining his meridians. All that was left was the final step, which was also the most dangerous. Astra didn’t tell him too much about it, saying that he needed to experience it on his own to understand, but she had told him not to lose himself in the “rush”, whatever that meant.

“Auntie,” he said after finishing a round of going through the Fists of the Mortal Flame. “I’m ready for the final step.”

At that, Astra sighed. She scanned him with her mental energy.

“I should ask if you’re sure, but there’s no point. Honestly, I’m not even surprised anymore.”

Darian wasn’t sure what to make of that statement, so he took it as a compliment.

“Perfect,” Darian’s father said. “I have here the latest batch of Body Tempering Pills.”

Darren, along with Ellen, had made a few batches of the Body Tempering Pills at this point, and had experimented with them to accelerate his own recovery. The initial results looked good. Darian had decided not to take any until the final step of refining his meridians. He had developed a good rhythm, and didn’t want anything to ruin that. The pills his father made had less power than the ones Astra had access to, but were easier to absorb. This was even more important when refining a multiple of three realm, where control was even more necessary than usual.

Darian took one of the Body Tempering Pills his father held out for him, as well as one of the Spirit Energy Pills from his own stash. He was running low on those. He had enough to last him another two months at his current rate. Either he would need to ask his father to make some for him, ask Astra if she had any, or he would need to return to Mt. Wind Dance to pick up his stipend. That was something to worry about for later, however.

Darian ingested both pills and performed the Fists of the Mortals Flame. This was a critical moment for him. The fire that had burned within him as he refined his meridians now approached a crescendo, and he was going to need every bit of willpower at his disposal to keep the flames from spiraling out of control. Unlike before, he would need to actively direct the spirit energy even as it burned him from the inside out. Even the smallest slip would spell disaster for him.

The burning pain had become a familiar friend to him at this point as he directed his spirit energy, channeling it through and into his meridians. They welcomed it, as if they were as eager to finish this as he was. Along with the fire came pressure, both from within and without. It squeezed him.

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Like metal sloughing off slag as it was purified, Darian felt the impurities leaving his being. They oozed out of his pores as a thick sludge. Bit by bit his meridians grew purer, stronger, more. This was not an easy process. Darian felt his control strain many times as he directed the spirit energy.

And then he crossed a threshold.

The burning grew hotter and hotter, until it felt like molten metal burned in his veins. No, not his veins. His veins were limited to his physical form alone. His meridians burned, coursing through his entire being. The pressure grew and grew, until it felt like he couldn’t breath. It was all Darian could do to keep from crying out, not that he had the breath to do so. Somehow, he managed to keep going.

The spirit energy felt sluggish, thick even, as he pushed it through his meridians. It was slow at first, but with each cycle, it went faster and faster. It became so fast, that Darian soon had the opposite problem. Instead of pushing the spirit energy, it was all he could to keep hold of it.

There were times at the end of winter, as the weather grew warm enough, when more snow than usual melted on the peaks of the Ice Fang Mountains. This resulted in a flood rushing down the Silver River, wrecking havoc as it went. For some reason, every time this happened, there were a few brave and foolish souls who tried to ride the flood of water on flat wooden boards. More often than not, this resulted in death. Darian had never been one of them, but he imagined what he felt now was similar to what those souls felt.

What differed was that he had to both ride the wave and direct it down the river, keeping it from flooding out. To say that it was difficult would be an understatement. He now understood what Astra meant when she said to not lose himself in the rush. The problem was, the wooden board he rode on felt slippery, so to speak.

Just as Darian was about to lose control, he remembered what this was about. He needed to refine his meridians. Keeping the spirit energy contained was detrimental to that. He needed to direct it into his meridians, a little at a time to maintain control.

Action followed thought. To continue the river metaphor, it was like directing the flood water into little irrigation canals that had been dug along the banks of the river. Only, it wasn’t as benign. Every time he did it, it felt like he was stabbing himself with hot little spikes of molten metal. Yet, every time he did so, he felt his meridians change. Impurities, thicker than any he had ever expelled from himself before, were driven out. Little by little, with each spike, the rush subsided and the impurities grew in volume.

By the time he finished, Darian’s meridians felt like they had reached a whole new level. When he was sure that it was over, when the fire and pressure were both gone, he fell to his hands and knees, vomiting black sludge as he did so. It tasted even worse than it smelled. There were no words to describe it. Human excrement mixed with pickled rotten fish mixed with stagnant swamp water came close.

Darian coughed, expelling the last of the black sludge. It pooled beneath him, forming an oily puddle. His breathing sounded harsh to his own ears. He felt a warm paw rub his back.

“Is it…” Darian said, his voice rough. “…always like this?”

“No,” Astra said in a gentle voice. “The meridians are the worst, but the most important for this stage. While the bones and muscles are also multiples of three, they are not nearly as bad as this. Congratulations, young Darian, you have overcome your second major hurdle in the Foundation Establishment stage. You’re now only mostly an embarrassment to Senior Sister Nova, instead of a complete embarrassment.”

Darian gave her a rude gesture, but smiled as he did so. Even now, he could feel the difference in his ability to channel spirit energy. It was as if his meridians were canals that had been expanded and reinforced, both in width and depth. He could also tell what Astra had meant when she said that the realms that were multiples of three gained more when compared to his other realms. Compared to a cultivator at the same level, he was a little stronger. There was a five percent difference. It was small, for now, but as time went on, this discrepancy would only increase.

Little by little, with each step he took became stronger.

***

Stella tilted her head as a strange sensation came over her. For the first time in centuries, she felt the urge to sneeze.

“Huh,” she muttered to herself. “Why does it feel like something interesting happened?”

Cultivators, especially those who had achieved immortality like herself, learned to trust their intuition. It was their soul’s way of telling them something important, though the cultivator in question still had to figure out the specifics on their own. This skill could be trained and honed, like any other.

Stella’s intuition told her that something had happened with Darian. It was good for him, that was for sure. It was more ambivalent for her. She made a mental note to check in on him. While she trusted Astra with her life, the cat was like family to her, Darian was Stella’s responsibility. She couldn’t hand off everything to Astra.

That would have to wait until later, however. Stella had more urgent matters to attend to. Earlier that night, she had sneaked into Astoria’s quarters to leave the younger woman a bottle of immortal wine. She had decided on one from the “Summer’s Kiss” batch, which she found appropriate given the changing of the seasons. Afterwards, on a whim, she decided to visit Clan Wind Dance’s council chamber. While she hadn’t planned it this way, Clan Wind Dance’s clan council had convened today for their seasonal meeting.

This was normal for clans, sects, and schools within the cultivation world. The elders would meet on a regular basis to discuss matters of policy, important events, and which direction to take the clan/sect/school in. It was normal for each meeting to be missing a few, or even several elders, since many of them were in seclusion or busy with their own training. The Patriarch/Matriarch was no exception to this.

By some miracle, all of Clan Wind Dance’s elders were in attendance this time around, even Astoria, who normally avoided these things. Stella found that interesting enough that she was willing to risk discovery in order to spy on this particular meeting. Given that these were the people she entrusted Darian to, it only made sense that she should keep abreast of their comings and goings.

No, that was a lie. She was just nosy. While she cared for Darian, she didn’t give much of a damn about the rest of Clan Wind Dance, with a few exceptions. Darren topped that list for obvious reasons, followed by Lucius, Vera, Darin, and Astoria. Still, their actions had an effect on Darian, and she was already in the area. It couldn’t hurt to sneak in and spy on them.

However, it turned out to be more difficult than she had anticipated. There were formations in place to detect intruders and block them from entering. Getting through these formations took some effort, but Stella persevered in the end. The biggest threat to discovery were Clan Wind Dance’s Immortals, or at least the one that was currently monitoring the clan. She didn’t know which one it was.

Every once in a while, Stella felt that Immortal’s mind sense scan the entirety of Silverwood Vale. While she knew she could win in a fight if this Immortal discovered her, she thought it was more fun to remain hidden. It was like a game of hide and seek. Sneaking through this took even longer, and by the time Stella arrived at the clan council chambers, the meeting was already underway.

The council chambers occupied the center of a large, round building near the peak of Mt. Wind Dance. The building also served as the administrative heart of Clan Wind Dance. Shimmering tapestries depicting Clan Wind Dance’s history in rich detail hung from the wooden walls. Plush rugs covered the stone floor. Floating yellow lights, similar to the ones in the secret realm she had created, illuminated the room. Like all buildings on Mt. Wind Dance, formations kept the space at a comfortable temperature. This was for the sake of the mortal servants who worked here.

In the center of the room stood a long wooden table surrounded by several wooden chairs. Darin Wind Dance, Patriarch and head of the clan, sat at the head of the table. Astoria, his wife, sat on his right. Bryce Wind Dance, Darin’s younger brother, sat to the left. Other than those three, Clan Wind Dance had four elders, all of them at the Element Collection stage. Given how small the clan was, this was impressive, especially for this part of the world. In the Iron Leaf Hills region, where Stella came from, they would be considered average at best.

Among the oldest generation, there was Lorrie Wind Dance, Darin’s younger sister, as well as Fletcher Wind Dance, a cousin of some kind. After that, there was Caleigh Wind Dance, Bryce’s daughter, and then Dominic Wind Dance, who was Fletcher’s grandson, and the youngest elder on the council. Dominic was also Lucius’ father.

From what Stella had observed, the man had ambitions, and was more than willing to use his son as a pawn to achieve them. Given Darian’s friendship with Lucius, she had watched Dominic with particular interest. Along with Caleigh, he was also unaware of Darian’s true identity. This made him a potential threat to Darian’s safety.

When Stella arrived, she floated near the room’s ceiling and hovered there to observe the meeting. Disappointment and boredom soon set in, however, when the council didn’t talk about anything interesting. Instead they talked about more mundane matters like governance of the mortals and trade. Things grew more lively when they turned to cultivation, talking about who had made the most progress among the younger generations or what resources to allocate in order to get the best results, but even that lost its shine.

Astoria looked as bored and frustrated as Stella felt. Maybe that was why she liked the younger woman so much. They had this in common. Stella never liked these sorts of meetings. She would rather be training or fighting or fucking. To her surprise, she also enjoyed taking care of Darian. Back home, no one would have believed that she had maternal instincts, nor that she could find fulfillment in domestic activities. Hell, she didn’t believe it, and she had lived through it.

It was certainly less tedious than this.

As the meeting dragged on, Stella resisted the urge to set the building aflame, just to make something interesting happen. As fun as it would be to give in, part of her agreement with Clan Wind Dance, or rather their Immortals, was that she would not take any direct or indirect action against them. Spying didn’t count. Even if they ever found out and had a problem with it, what would they do? She could take on all three of the Wind Dance Immortals with ease.

“Is that everything?” Darin Wind Dance asked. “If not, this meeting is adjourned.”

Stella sighed in relief. Finally, it was over.

“There is a matter I would like to bring up, Patriarch,” Dominic Wind Dance said.

Stella glared at the man. If he had any sense of self preservation, he would keep what he had to say short and to the point. Otherwise, Stella might forget about her agreement with Clan Wind Dance. He must’ve sensed this because he shivered, and looked around for the source. The other elders all gave him odd looks. After a moment, he coughed.

“I have been in contact with Clan Stone Pillar,” Dominic Wind Dance said after he regained his composure. “While we’re in the early stages yet, they have communicated to me that they would like an alliance with our clan.”

Darin gave Dominic a level look.

“You didn’t think to bring this up sooner?” he asked. “How long have you been in contact with Clan Stone Pillar, Elder Dominic?”

“This is a recent development, Patriarch,” Dominic said. “I wanted to have something concrete before bringing it before the council.”

Stella sat up, so to speak. Now, this was interesting. Clan Stone Pillar was one of the bigger powers in the region. They lived in an area full of rocky hills, south of Silverwood Vale. Stella believed they were called the Broken Teeth Hills, though she didn’t know why. From what she remembered, Clan Stone Pillar were staff fighters, and their signature technique was earth-based. She also remembered that their members tended to be muscular, something she had personal experience with.

When Stella had first come to this area, she remembered sleeping with one of their elders. Unfortunately, the man’s stone pillar wasn’t up to the task and she ended up accidentally shattering his pelvis. He had made a full recovery. Eventually. What was his name again? Caleb, that was it. Caleb Stone Pillar.

What made Dominic’s words so interesting was that Clan Wind Dance and Clan Stone Pillar didn’t like each other much. They were polite and civil, whenever the two clans were in proximity to each other, but overall they had little dealings together. Why would Clan Stone Pillar seek an alliance with Clan Wind Dance?

“Why would Clan Stone Pillar seek an alliance with us?” Bryce Wind Dance said with a frown, his words mirroring Stella’s thoughts.

“The Pit Viper Sect,” Dominic said.

The mood in the room darkened. Stella sneered. The so-called Pit Viper Sect was another of the bigger powers in this region. They were nothing more than a group of bandits masquerading as a legitimate sect. They raided, they pillaged, and they plundered. As their name implied, they were deceitful and duplicitous. It was as if they weren’t even trying to be subtle. That sort of stupidity angered her. They favored twin blades and poison as their primary weapons.

While they were a threat to everyone in the region, they hadn’t been eradicated yet. The problem was that they were too strong. None of the other powers in the region could take them out, at least not without suffering horrendous losses in return.

Stella had been tempted to wipe them out herself, since their very existence annoyed her, but she decided not to. It wasn’t her job to clean up the locals’ problems, and looking after Darian was her main priority here. That said, perhaps she would visit this Pit Viper Sect after Darian reached the Energy Gathering stage and could look after himself.

“Clan Stone Pillar has suffered an increasing number of raids from the Pit Viper Sect,” Dominic continued. “They have retaliated, and there have been a number of skirmishes between the two. While these skirmishes have been small affairs so far, it is only a matter of time until it escalates into a full blown war. A year, I’d say. Two at the most. As such, Clan Stone Pillar is searching for allies.”

“Did they contact you, Elder Dominic?” Astoria said in an acerbic tone. “Or did you contact them when you heard about their troubles?”

Stella knew the younger woman was aware of Dominic’s ambitions. Everyone in this room was aware. It wasn’t a secret. Brokering an alliance that benefited Clan Wind Dance would raise the man’s prestige and status.

“Both,” Dominic replied. At least he was honest about it. “In exchange for our help against the Pit Viper Sect, Clan Stone Pillar has offered us several rare resources at a steep discount. Spirit crystals, elemental stones, and more, in addition to more mundane materials.”

This generated a buzz of interest amongst the elders. While Silverwood Vale was rich in timber, and had plenty of arable land, metals and minerals were in shorter supply. Clan Stone Pillar, on the other hand, had access to the bounty of the earth. Stella smirked. Even for cultivators, resources and economics drove many of their actions. In fact, it could be argued resources were even more important to cultivators. After all, a rare plant might be the difference between being stuck at a bottleneck, and breaking through to the next stage.

Darin raised his hand to silence the room.

“Do you have any specific details to share, Elder Dominic?” he asked. “Or have they just expressed interest?”

“They have just expressed interest so far, Patriarch,” Dominic said. “I wanted to bring this up with the council before negotiating further.”

Darin nodded in approval.

“Good. Since you were the one who initiated it, I appoint you to head any negotiations between our clans. This is an opportunity for you, Elder Dominic. Don’t waste it.”

At that Dominic preened, though Astoria’s next words deflated him a bit.

“Are you sure this is wise, husband?” she asked Darin. “The Pit Viper Sect have never targeted us or the mortals under our care. If they find out we’re negotiating an alliance with Clan Stone Pillar, that will change.”

Darin nodded.

“The Pit Viper Sect has been a blight on this land for far too long. While they have never targeted us, that could change at any moment. It is better to deal with them now, before they become a direct threat to our clan.” His expression darkened. “Even if that wasn’t the case, I would still agree to this alliance. Murder. Rape. Slavery. The Pit Viper Sect is guilty of all these crimes and more. The sooner they are eradicated from this world, the better.”

The other elders nodded, their expressions matching Darin’s.

“How do we plan on sealing this alliance?” Fletcher asked. “Trade agreements are all well and good, but we need something more binding if we are to fight side by side with Clan Stone Pillar.”

“You’re right, Grandfather Fletcher,” Dominic said. “We need something stronger than a mere trade agreement to seal this alliance, such as a marriage.”

Stella smirked at this little act the two put on. It was clear to her that this was something they had discussed and rehearsed beforehand. From the looks on the other elders’ faces, none of them had been fooled either.

“And who would be the one marrying a Stone Pillar, Elder Dominic?” Astoria said in a sarcastic tone. “You? As far as I know, your wife is still alive. Unless, that is, you intend to take a second wife. I didn’t think you were the type. What a surprise.”

Ooh, Stella really liked her. She would have to get Astoria a second bottle of immortal wine.

“My son,” Dominic answered, throwing a look at Astoria. “Lucius is of age, and remains unmarried. I intend to betroth him to Willow Stone Pillar, the eldest granddaughter of Clan Stone Pillar’s Matriarch.”

This generated another round of murmuring. Astoria frowned.

“Isn’t Willow Stone Pillar a beast of a woman?” Caleigh Wind Dance muttered.

“I heard that she was bigger than all of their men,” Bryce said.

“We all know that your son Lucius is having an affair with Vera River Heart,” Astoria said, raising her voice above the din. “In fact, I remember you yourself voicing approval at this union. What do you intend to do about that?”

Dominic shrugged.

“I’ll handle my son,” he said, before smirking “Maybe he’ll follow your advice and take Vera River Heart as his second wife.”

Astoria opened her mouth to retort, but Darin cut her off.

“Enough,” he said, his voice as sharp as a sword. “Elder Dominic, do what you have to get the most benefit for Clan Wind Dance.” He turned to the rest of the elders. “If no one else has anything to bring up, this meeting is adjourned.”

At that clear dismissal, the elders left the council chambers. Darin and Astoria remained. The younger woman looked ready for a fight. Stella left as well. She had no interest in the couple’s upcoming spat. As she left, she could hear Astoria say something to Darin in a sharp voice.

As Stella made her way down the mountain, her mind buzzed with excitement. Marriages, alliances, and an upcoming war. Things had turned out to be far more interesting than she had anticipated. She also had a feeling that whatever happened would affect Darian as well. Good. The boy needed some more tempering.

After all, there was no better way to gain combat experience than through battle.